The antibacterial activities of 31 different b-, mixed a/B-, and y-peptides, as well as of B-peptides derived from B2-3-aza- and B3-2-methylidene-amino acids were assayed against six pathogens (Enterococcus faecails, STaphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and the results were compared with literature data. The interaction of these peptides with mammalian cells, as modeled by measuring the hemolysis of human erythrocytes, was also investigated. In addition to those peptides designed to fold into amphiphilic helical conformations with positive charges on one face of the helix, one new peptide with hemolytic activity was detected within the sample set. Moreover, it was demontrated that neither cationic peptides used for membrane translocation (B3-oligoarginines), nor mixeda/B- or y-peptides with somatostatin-mimicking activities display unwanted hemolytic activity.

The solution-phase synthesis of the simplest cyclic B-tetrapeptide, cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4), as well as the solidphase syntheses through side chain anchoring and on-resin cyclization of the cyclic B3-tetrapeptide cyclo-(B3hPhe-B3hLeu-B3hLys-B3hGln-) (14) and the first cyclic B3-pentapeptide cyclo- (B3hVal-B3hPhe-B3Leu- B3hLys-B3hLys-) (19) are reported. Extensive computational as well as spectroscopic studies, including X-ray and NMR spectroscopy, were undertaken to determine the preferred conformations of these unnatural oligomers in solution and in the solid state. cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4) with no chiral side chains is shown to exist as a mixture of rapidly interchanging conformers in solution, whereas inclusion of chiral side chains in the cyclo-B3-tetrapetpride causes stabilizaton of one dominating conformer. The cyclic B3-pentapeptide on the other hand shows larger conformational freedom. The X-ray structure of achiral cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4) displays a Ci-symmetrical 16-membered ring with adjacent C=O and N-H atoms pointing pair wise up and down with respect to the ring plane. CD spectorscopic examinations of all cyclic B-peptides were undertaken and revealed results valuable as starting point for further structural investigations of these entities.

Pentafulvenes with alkyl and/or aryl substituents at the exocyclic position are formed rapidly in high yields through reaction of crystalline sodium cyclopentadienide directly with the appropriate ketones.

The chlorine leaving group kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for the SN2 reactions between methyl chloride and a wide range of anionic, neutral, and radical anion nucleophiles were calculated in the gas phase and, in several cases, using a continuum solvent model. In contrast to the expected linear dependence of the chlorine KIEs on the Ca-CI bond order in the transition state, the KIEs fell in a very small range (1.0056-1.0091), even though the Ca-CI transition state bond orders varied widely from approximately 0.32 to 0.78, a range from reactant-like to very product-like. This renders chlorine KIEs, and possibly other leaving-group KIEs, less useful for studies of reaction mechanisms than commonly assumed. A partial explanation for this unexpected relationship between the Ca-CI transition state bond order and the magnitude of the chlorine KIE is presented.

The crystal structure of 2-[(N,N-dimethylamino)methyl]benzenetellurenyl chloride (2), a compound previously formulated as bis [[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)methyl]phenyl] ditelluride bis hydrochloride (1a), was determinded. In the molecule 2, tellurium is bonded to the carbon of the phenyl group [2.120(3)Å], the nitrogen o fthe ortho dimethylamino substituent [2.362(3)Å], and the chlorine atom [2.536[1]Å]. There also is an intermolecular interaction of the tellurium atom with the phenyl ring of a neighbouring molecule [3.655(1)Å], resulting in the formation of zigzag chains along the b axis. The noncentorsymmetric space group of the crystal can be explained by the chiral surrounding of tellurium.

Primary- and secondary-alkyl aryl tellurides, prepared by arenetellurolate ring-opening of epoxides/O-allylation, were, found to undergo rapid (3-10 min) group-transfer cyclization to afford tetrahydrofuran derivatives in 60-74% yield when heated in a microwave cavity at 250C in ethylene glycol or at 180C in water. To go to completion, similar transformations had previously required extended photolysis in refluxing benzene containing a substantial amount of hexabutylditin. The only drawback of the microwave-assisted process was the loss in diastereoselectivity wich is a consequence of the higher reaction temperature. Substitution in the Te-aryl moiety of the secondary-alkyl aryl tellurides (4-OMe, 4-H, 4-CF3) did not affect the outcome of the group-transfer reaction in ethylene glycol. However, at lower temperature, using water as a solvent, the CF3 derivative failed to react. The microwave-assisted grouptransfer cyclization was extended to benzylic but not to primary- and secondary-alkyl phenyl selenides.

Triorganylsulfonium, -selenonium and -telluronium salts were reduced by carbon dioxide radical anions/solvated electrons produced in aqueous solution by radiolysis. The radical expulsion accompanying reduction occurred with the expected leaving group propensities (benzyl > secondary alkyl> primary alkyl> methy> phenyl), although greater than expected loss of the phenyl group was often observed. Diorganyl chalcogenides formed in the reductions were conveniently isolated by extraction with an organic solvent. Product yields based on the amount of reducing radicals obtained from the y-source were often higher than stoichiometric (up to 1800%) in the reduction of selenonium an dtelluronium compounds; it is likely that this result can be accounted for in terms of a chain reaction with carbon-centred radicals/formate serving as the chain transfer agent. The product distribution was essentially independent of the reducing species for diphenyl alkyl telluronium salts, whereas significant variations were seen for some of the corresponding selenonium salts. This would suggest the intermediacy of telluranyl radicals in the one-electron reduction of telluronium salts. However, pulse radiolysis experiments indicated that the lifetimes of such a species (the triphenyltelluranyl radical) would have to be less than 1 us.